Homogenizers for oil well liquids



Dec. 18, 1956 'r. o. ANDERSON ETAL 2,774,577

HOMOGENIZERS FOR OIL WELL LIQUIDS Filed Aug. 26, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2.

. x v Terry 0. Anderson,

INVENTORS.

y James E. Broaddus,

A T TORNE Y.

Dec. 18, 1956 11.0. ANDERSON arm. 2,774,577

HOMOGENIZERS FOR OIL WELL LIQUIDS Filed Aug. 26', 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4.

FIG. 6.

INVENTORS.

Terry 0. Anderson. y James E. Braaddus,

United States Patent Terry 0. Anderson and James E., Broaddus, Duncan, kla., asslgnors to Halliburton Oil Well Cementing Company, Duncan, Okla. I

Application August '26, 1955, serial No. 530,842

2 Claims. 01. 259-9 This invention relates to homogenizers for oil Well liquids and more particularly to continuously operated homogenizers which may be connected to the discharge line of a large volume pump to mix diesel oil, kerosene, crude oil or the like with chemicals which cause the oil either to gel or to emulsify.

It is noW common practice in the oil fields to fracture earth formations, to increase the production of oil therefrom, by injecting into them, under high pressure, an oil, such as kerosene, which has been specially treated to increase its viscosity so that it may suspend or carry sand or other propping agents. It is also common practice to form emulsions of oil and water for use as a drilling fluid or for other purposes.

The present invention is directed to the provision of a machine particularly designed to homogenize or emulsify oil. The machine is coupled into the discharge line of a pump and is capable of handling four or five barrels of liquid per minute. In accordance with the invention, the homogenizer is provided with two sets of disks, some of which are stationary and some of which rotate. The 011, under pressure from the pump, is caused to flow through the two sets of disks in opposite directions and the two streams are caused to meet with considerable impact in a mixing chamber. Soap or water or other chemicals which are to cause the oil to have an increased viscosity or which cause the oil to emulsify are added to the two streams before they pass through the disks, so that considerable blending action is obtained before the streams converge in the mixing chamber.

The objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a homogenizer, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the invention with a diagrammatic showing of pumps and reservoirs connected thereto;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the homogenizer of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view, in side elevation of one of the stator disks of the homogenizer of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a view in vertical cross-section of the stator disk of Fig. 3; 1

Fig. 5 is a view, in side elevation, of one of the rotor disks of the homogenizer of Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 6 is a view in vertical cross-section of the rotor disk of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the homogenizer consists of a cylindrical tank or vessel 10 mounted on a suitable base and having end plates 11 and 12 secured thereto. The end plate 11 has a bearing 13 over which is secured a cap 14. The end plate 12 has a bearing 15 over which is fitted a housing 16. A shaft 17 is mounted in the bearings 13 and 15, so as to rotate about the axis of the cylinder 10. Means such as the hydraulic motor 18 is mounted on the housing 16. The motor is connected to the shaft 17 by the coupling 19 in 2,774,577 Patented Dec. 1956 the housing 16 and isadap'ted to rotate the shaft at a rather high speed, say 1500 to 3000 R. P. M. 7

By means of spacer rings 20, a number of stator disks 21 are mounted in the cylinder 10.. As illustrated, there may be four of these stator disks, twonear the end plate 1 1 and two near the end plate' 12, so as to leave considerable space in the center of the. cylinder 10 to form two churning sections, one at each' end of the vessel, and a central impact or mixing chamber designated 22 (Fig. 2).

. Each stator disk is provided with a number ,of radial slots 23 as best shown in Fig. 3. These are disposed some distance inwardly from the circumference of the disk so that liquid cannot readily flow along the inside wall of the cylinder 10.

Clamped on the shaft 17 are a number of rotor disks 24. As illustrated, there are two of these rotor disks, one for each set of stator disks, and so mounted as to rotate between them.

The rotor disks are provided with a circle of holes 25 near their pcrifery and a circle of curved slots 26 in their perifery as shown particularly in Fig. 5.

The disks 24 are of such diameter that the holes 25 and slots 26 are a greater distance from the shaft 17 than the slots 23 in the stator disks 21 so that the liquid flowing through the cylinder 10 across the disks has to travel in a zig-zag pattern. The action is such that centrifugal force is imparted to the liquids in the chamber by the rotor disks 24 but the movement of the liquids, under this force, around the stator plates 21 and through the slots 23 therein causes a great deal of turbulence which assists in mixing and blending the liquids.

An important feature of the invention resides in the fact that there are two streams of liquid subjected to the churning and'blending action of the disks and that these two streams are then caused to converge in the mixing chamber 22. This action is brought about by having two inlets 27 and 28 for the liquids supplied to the cylinder 10 and by having but a single outlet 29. It will be observed that the outlet 29 is so disposed as to be radial to the chamber 22 rather than tangential, so that the liquids do not leave the chamber 22 smoothly the way they do in a centrifugal pump.

The inlets 27 and 28 supply the liquids to the cylinder 10 on the outside of the two sets of disks so that both streams are subjected to the intense blending action of the disks before being thrown together in the chamber 22.

In Fig. 1, a single pump 30 is shown for supplying oil to the homogenizer. This may be a large volume pump and be connected to a manifold 31 which is connected to the inlets 27 and 28 as illustrated. This pump causes the liquids to flow through the homogenizer.

The homogenizer is provided with a number of auxiliary pumps such as are illustrated at 32, 33, 34 and 35. These serve to meter liquids supplied thereto from the reservoirs 36, 37, 38 and 39 and add them to the streams of oil entering the homogenizer through the inlets 27 and 28. If the homogenizer is being used to increase the viscosity of the oil, reservoirs 37 and 39 may contain a caustic solution and reservoirs 36 and 38 contain an acid, such as oleic acid. If the homogenizer is being used to form an emulsion, one or more of the reservoirs may contain water. Of course, not all of the reservoirs need be used at the same time, and more than the number illustrated may be provided. The pumps 32, 33, 34 and 35 may be synchronized with each other and with the main pump 30, if desired to insure accuracy in proportioning the liquids.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein, it is obvious that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the annexed claims.

We claim:

1. A homogenizer for oil well liquids comprising a cylindrical vessel having two, and only two, sets of stator disks mounted therein near the ends thereof so as to provide tWo churning sections, one at each end of-the vessel, and an impact and mixing chamber in the center of the vessel, a shaft mounted for rotation about the axis of the cylindrical vessel, rotor disks mounted on said shaft, there being at least one rotor for each set of stator disks, two inlets for conveying liquids into the vessel, said inlets being disposed outside of the disks at opposite ends of the vessel, and a single outlet for the vessel located centrally thereof so as to be connected to the mixing chamber, the arrangement being such that two streams of liquid are subjectedto churning action by the disks and then caused to converge and be thrown together in the mixing chamber.

2. The homogenizer defined in claim 1 in which the stator disks have radial slots therein and the rotor disks have a circle of holes a greater radial distance from the shaft than the slots in the stator disks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

